Microsoft begins presales of Office 2010

Microsoft is offering a deal to its partners that will in turn let them offer …

Via the Microsoft Partner Network, the successor of the Microsoft Partner Program, Redmond is offering its partners a great deal for their clients: 20 percent off Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 purchases plus an upgrade to Microsoft Office 2010 when it launches in June 2010. In typical Microsoft fashion, the offer has a mouthful of a name: Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007 No Better Time Promotion. Don't let that throw you off, though: a 20 percent discount right now and a free copy to the latest version is a great deal for businesses.

"What we are offering is Microsoft Office 2007 Professional Plus Licenses with Software Assurance, which will grant them rights to Microsoft Office 2010 when it releases," a Microsoft spokesperson told Ars. "We are selling Office 2007 licenses with rights to Office 2010 through the Software Assurance acquired with the Office 2007 licenses." The promotion will last until December 31, 2009.

In addition, clients will also get other benefits, depending on the licensing program they make their purchases through and the quantity of qualifying licenses acquired. All clients will get the following benefits, regardless: ability to spread their payments over three years, training vouchers for employees to get trained on their Microsoft software, E-Learning courses that provide access to self-paced interactive training developed by Microsoft experts, and rights to install Microsoft Office on a home computer in addition to your work computer.

While this particular deal is quite obviously aimed at businesses, we wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft offered Office 2010 to consumers for preorder before launch in select countries. Furthermore, there will surely be deals like the Ultimate Steal soon after Office 2010 becomes available. Microsoft has yet to announce the official pricing for Office 2010; this seems like a great way to start pushing interest in Office 2010 without having to disclose the final price tags.